The Dark Knight
by The Nevermore Raven
Summary: Romance/Adventure/Drama. It has been two years since the incident on the ARK, and newly gained patience and a now empty heart have caused Rose to truly look at her life and what she painfully yearns for... Shadow.
1. Rare Chance

**The Dark Knight  
**_By: Nevermore Raven_**  
**Chapter 1  
_Rare Chance _

* * * * *

Well, once again Sonic and Tails saved the day. After such trial after trial, and so many hardships, the residents can sleep peacefully once more. This wouldn't have been possible without the help of so many others, friend and enemy alike. The time after the ARK adventure resumed a more or less normal series of events, with the occasional uprising by Eggman, but nothing grand and worth mentioning. Two years have passed since then, and I can't stop thinking about a certain someone... The true hero we all are indebted to, yet never wish to think of.

Why do others try to conceal him from view? Is it because his suffering is a reminder of the very real realities and injustices people can cause? Is it because we are all lying to ourselves about finding a good place in a loving world, even as unspeakable crimes occur to innocent people? Why do so many ignore his sacrifice?

He received not so much as a mention by celebrities or the media, not a well-deserved entry as the Person of the Year on _People Magazine _or a lengthy article in _Time._ No memorial or bronze statue, no place in the hall of fame, absolutely nothing. Though the others ignore him, the ones who met him that fateful day will never forget him, try as they might. Why not, after all? This dark, misunderstood hero is... dead.

The times I have spent shouting after the True Blue have all but ended as my interest all but vanished since a month ago, two years after Shadow fell to his death. I dream about him every night, as I keep his golden bracelet beneath my pillow and close to my anguished heart. This bracelet is all that remains. This bracelet and the green Emerald he always carried.

Why does he haunt me so? Is it the fact that he, the hardened, cold, mysterious hedgehog, done horrible injustice by the world and despising all in it, caring only about the promise he made decades ago to his best friend who died in cruel hands, broke and went soft before my eyes? Is it the fact he shared rare feelings he cherished so much with me alone before his death? '_I must go now. I must keep my promise to Maria... and to you.'_

Is it the fact a precious tear fell from his gorgeous ruby-red eyes, the very eyes that pierced my heart, captured my breath, and drowned me in their immense depths? The color of his eyes was unique; haunting, and terrifying, but how could they all the while be so beautiful?

Did he merely be so kind to me at that moment by a chance? Coincidence? Dumb luck? Or, as my heart painfully beats and wishes at the thought of him, was it something more? Was our meeting only by rare chance? If something greater was at work, I would arrive at the same conclusion that would fill my eyes with tears. If he was the one meant for me, I will never see him again... He is high above in the heavens far above my vain grasp, and he will never fall back into my arms. He is with Maria at last, she was very lucky to have such a cherished place in his heart.

I had been chasing after Sonic for years. For years. And in all of that time, I would have the same routine. Chase Sonic, like I always have. I cried, "Sonic!" like I always did. He ran right past me in a wind that took my hair with it, like he always does. I sighed, like I always did and then gave myself that daily encouraging pep-talk, like I always did. Nothing unusual, see? No dramatic revelation. Sonic didn't yell at me, he didn't tell me I was a pest that bothered him senseless, he didn't sneer at me or so much as glance my way. Nothing unusual happened. It was like any other day. ...And because it was like any other day, on that daily routine where nothing happened, the revelation hit me like a slap to the face, a cheap shot that I'm still rubbing my swollen cheek over as my eyes flow in a cascade of tears. _Nothing_ has changed for _five_ years.

The bitter truth caused me to sit back for once and think it through. Truly think it through, contemplate, without fantasizing or looking through a thick, pink lens, obsessing over unrealistic dreams or wishing on wishes. I have grown up a little bit in the past two years. If he had feelings for me, would he not have given me a hint in all of this time? And what about me? What do I really need in a partner? Sure, he is honest and good-natured, but from looking at each and every facet of his life, is he the best for me? Will I really want to be with someone who is always on the move, never taking a rest or showing his more tender emotions to anyone?

Or would I be more content with a different person, one who remains with me through thick and thin, one who stands beside me? One who will always, always remain, as an anchor, a rock? A person who's emotional, filled with passion and feelings? One who holds undying loyalty, is full of depth and commitment? I saw a brief glimpse of someone who showed all of these qualities with resounding clarity. We may never meet again, never see where fate and emotions may have brought us, and you may be far out of my reach, but you will never be at too far a distance that my love cannot travel, no eons apart my heart cannot wait for. ...I will never forget you, Shadow the Hedgehog.

_A.N. Something from a different character? Something new? GASP!! XD Please tell me what you think! :D_


	2. The Base

**The Dark Knight  
**Chapter 2  
_The Base _

* * * * *

Forgive me if I'm a little bit shaken, since I have been through quite a lot in the past few days. Quite a lot is as in the fact I am alive at all, when I had intended to perish once I had kept the promise I made with a rare angel who died so long ago. I couldn't relax if my life depended on it, for I am confused beyond belief and disheartened since I am still on this very planet I wished to leave behind for good, along with the suffering and loneliness I have endured for so many years.

So many thoughts and details are flitting through my mind at a dizzying rate that they cause me to shut down completely, consuming my time and effort when I wish it all would just... disappear. That certainly isn't helped by the fact Eggman has kept me in an ice-cube for the past two years, after finding me still alive somehow after I was sure I was as good as dead, the very moment I had kept a promise and felt I had nothing more to live for.

But Eggman is a scientist. As a scientist at heart, he of course has downloaded many tests data from the ARK secret mainframe so that he may know more about my development. I apparently fascinate him for some reason I can't understand.

What he intends to do with me, I have no clue. Why I am here, I have no clue... And so I am honestly frightened for good reason. Trapped like a frightened animal in his one of many secret labs, being prodded and toyed with day in and day out as if I was his guinea pig. Blood tests, endurance tests, tests of strength, stamina, combat, and speed. Physical tests. Tests of memory, intelligence, creativity, personality, and trauma follow closely behind. Psychological tests.

Needless to say, this testing provides me no welcomed comfort. But the doctor could care less, and his tests continue at full steam without relent. The blood tests alone have drained a great amount of my strength, making something as simple as a flight of stairs a punishing ordeal. I kept count, and roughly one liter of blood has been drawn in the past day. But the doctor is no idiot about blood. He must provide me with plentiful food and water to nourish my starved body and wait for two months before drawing that much again, lest he render me defenseless, or worse, dead.

Why does he keep me alive? I was ready to leave this world once and for all, my purpose was fulfilled! Confusion compounded with frustration and disappointment, I am mentally exhausted as well as physically, the latter from so many damned tests and so much blood having been drawn from my veins.

Can I not simply end it all here and now? If I try, will I be stopped again? Then why do I hesitate to do so? What's holding me back from ending my grief? I feel as if a well deserved rest has been stolen from me, but now it is in my grasp again why must I hesitate like this? I am on the brink of bursting into tears, pushing myself over the edge and to my end. But I am being held back. Held back? By what! What the Hell could possibly be enough to hold me back, keep me alive and pushing onwards even as I have already finished the godforsaken marathon?

Being confined as I am has taken a toll on my morale. I didn't even know how long I was confined until somehow I got a robot I spoke with to spill that fact, thanks to its realistic artificial intelligence. How many days ago was that? Does it even matter? If two years have passed, what happened to the others? Are they the reason? Are they the reason I can't end it all, the reason I am here right now? Are they alive? If so, do they even know I am here? And if they did, would they even care about my fate? Why would they bother to rescue me?

I have so many questions and no way to answer them. I have so many pains and no way to soothe, no way to silence my torment and inner turmoil. I crossed my arms and sighed as I glanced down at the cold, damp floor of my cell. The silence was so complete, it was almost burdensome, and it had weight pushing down on my chest, coupled with my anxiety from being trapped in such a confined space.

I was far underground, at the very bottom of a base that extended hundreds of meters into the ground, with massive complexes, sectors, and levels littering every which part of it, every corner. I could almost mentally feel the weight of the rock above that trapped me there.

Without warning the one and only door before me was blown clear of its hinges with two loud blasts. The suddenness of it all caused me to jump a foot. The door fell unceremoniously with a loud bang that caused the entire room to vibrate like a bell, making my toes tingle with the resulting impact. In the darkness, smoke from the chaos obscured my vision, and the only thought in mind was _"What will he do to me now?"_ I expected an attack to follow, but nothing happened. No shots were fired, no missiles launched, no egg pawns charged in with guns at the ready.

I stood guard expecting an ambush once I relaxed and became vulnerable, so I wanted to avoid presenting the chance. A moment passed before light footsteps tapped their way into my prison and a shape formed from within the smoke. Something, or someone stood before me, with large prominent ears flicking to the side, and a pair of bushy tails silently swept about. A curious, young voice called out like a lost child calling for its parent.

"Shadow?" I was dumbstruck. Relief, hope, and confusion filled my mind completely. _The fox? What was his name?_

"Tails? What the Hell are you--" Before I could finish my sentence, the young kitsune pulled me by the arm out of what had been my private tomb with surprising force.

"No time to explain! We have to get outta here!" We made a sprint down the cold, dark hallways that were no more inviting than the cell in which I was held before. A dusty floor of cold cement was surrounded by colder walls of solid steel, presenting an environment that was both cold and hostile, not unlike the person who controlled the entire base. I would have been lost down here in such an unfamiliar place, but apparently the fox had figured things out. I followed him without delay.

By the time we reached a stairwell, I briefly paused to collect my breath after such a long run. This caused the boy alarm, and in the pale fluorescent light his deep blue eyes widened in shock.

"Shadow, what's wrong with you? You look sick. That wasn't a problem for me; that definitely shouldn't have been a burden for you."

"I know... Tails... the Doctor took... tests on... me..." I took a large gasp of air. "He took a blood test and I lost... a liter of blood... I don't feel that great."

The fox grimaced for an instant at the newly revealed complication, but tried to remain calm and not discourage me in my exhausted state.

"C'mon, Shadow. We can get through this, follow me." The kid grabbed my hand firmly and walked me, or more accurately, _pulled_ me up the flight of stairs as I struggled to avoid falling on my back. No telling if I will see daylight ever again...


	3. Burning to Live

**The Dark Knight  
**Chapter 3  
_Burning to Live _

* * * * *

I always knew this young fox was bright, but this newest event showed once and for all that he could rival Dr. Robotnik with ease. Once we reached the top of the stairwell, my lungs were burning beyond belief and I literally had to stop to catch my breath. There in the cold gloom with sparse tubes of bluish white light, I panted fervently as if I had ran nonstop for hours, giving no time to rest my chest through the effort. I was wasting time with having to stop, and we both knew it. But could I help it? Not without a death wish.

"Shadow," the fox started as he glanced at me with his observant, deep blue eyes. "We don't have time to wait like..." After he observed my pained glare and incessant gasps, he realized I couldn't help it. "It's fine, Shadow. Never mind that. We've got to keep going." He grabbed for my hand as if I was a distracted toddler and we dashed into the hall just outside the room. I hated feeling helpless like that! But what point was there in sulking about it and wasting effort simply regretting it? We pushed onward.

For no apparent reason, we stopped at an apparent dead end and the kit raised his palm, bringing something to my attention I hadn't noticed before. What was that in his hand? Sure enough, he held a large gun about the size of an automatic weapon that was adorned in a small array of green lights and glowing circuitry.

"Egghead has locked down the door, Shadow. It is two inch (5 cm) solid steel, and it's the best way we have out of here," Tails stated as he raised his new toy to aim the end of the hall in its sights. What!? My strongest Chaos Spear couldn't burn through that! Right as I finished my thought in confused silence, a whirr from the gun started softly at first, then got louder while the end of the device formed a small red bead of light that cast a haunting glow in the dim hallway. The orb grew in size and became a hotter shade of red, before turning burnt orange, and then finally became hot orange in a matter of seconds.

I half expected an enormous bang to shatter the thing to pieces, but it held as the orange ball of flame the size of a fist shot forward and plunged into the metal obstacle about five meters in front of us. A flash of searing heat turned the metal into a mass of dimly glowing, red iron, and even from that distance I could feel it firmly on my face. Where the shot landed, a ring of hot orange outlined a gaping hole, with wavering bubbles of hot air causing it to shimmer with the heat, making it look like a dancing ring of fire. Through the ring was our escape. That spectacle left me speechless, and hesitant to try crawling through said ring of burning orange, metallic gunk. It must have been at least a thousand degrees!

A moment passed when the shimmering mirage of heat settled somewhat, making the orange glow more definite as Tails charged forward and leapt through the hot cavity, before watching expectantly for me to follow. I took a breath of the then hot air and charged forward, feeling the heat rapidly get more intense, to the point of searing. Apparently speed is what spared him from becoming well-done road kill, and that was one thing I could do well. The heat was overwhelming. Although I had no shoes since I had regained consciousness, thankfully I got through quickly enough –avoiding placing my feet on the orange stuff, of course- that I got through with little trouble.

Having the soles of my feet on cold steel again was a welcomed comfort for once, since otherwise my feet were becoming numb. I glanced down at the contraption this boy genius had designed. "That is an impressive little gadget you have there Tails," I commented with a sigh.

"Yeah. Thanks, Shadow. I was using a synthetic Emerald to power it today. We should grab your shoes and gloves on and get out of here..."

* * * * *

How could we find my old stuff? The boy had planned that out, too. He found me the same way, by using a Chaos energy detector to determine which of the countless rooms had held said shoes and gloves. I should have known that...

The second thought to enter my mind was about his new little toy. We had continued once more down another identical hallway, running in some random direction for a means of escape. I was honestly surprised the kid had rescued me in the first place. I had no time to sit and wonder why, so I had to settle with wondering as we ran along.

"Have you tested that on a real Emerald? And was that as strong as it could get?"

"I haven't tested it on a real Emerald, and I don't know for certain if it can take more, Shadow. I designed it to withstand and convert energy. The collectors, converters, capacitors, energy coupling, and superconductor should be able to process enough heat to incinerate through two meters of solid tungsten. Or four meters of high-grade steel."

I didn't understand the majority of his detailed technical jargon, but I did get that last bit. Wow! Four meters of _steel_!? That thing would burn completely through an armored tank four times over! He could take out one of Dr. Robotnik's most gigantic combat machines with a single hit....

"Hmm..." I narrowed my eyes as we continued running, preparing for my second and more important question.

"Why did you bother coming here to help me?" The golden bundle of fur and blue eyes glanced at me and let his jaw gape in surprise, surprise that he didn't try to hide in the least. That caused me to arch an eyebrow with amusement.

"Shadow, that is a good question. I had no idea you would be alive; finding your signature was an accident. The truth is," the boy sighed briefly as our feet drummed through the base at top speed. "Everyone missed you when we thought you died. We all have managed to move on with time, but Sonic, Amy, and I had the hardest time doing so. Especially Amy..."

My ears perked up at the name. And the whole explanation, at that. They _missed_ me. A very faint glow of faded, all but gone feelings lit up in my pained heart. I have been wanted time and time again, wanted to be used, manipulated, deceived, or controlled. I have been a puppet time and time again. With the ARK, the puppeteer was the very scientist who designed me, the one I trusted... and loved. Gerald Robotnik. The fact he used me in such a manner placed one more weight on my mind, only further dousing the flame of my will to live. I was used and left to die by someone I had trusted, one out of the handful I had ever trusted. The thought twisted my stomach in a sickened manner as my heart endured a painful throb in my torment.

But the fox specifically stated that the others _missed _me. I had been convinced years ago I wouldn't be missed by anyone, that terrible night Maria was killed. No one has missed me for decades...


	4. Run and Bleed

**The Dark Knight  
**Chapter 4  
_Run and Bleed _

* * * * *

We slowed without warning at some unremarkable doorway, and I wondered why for a moment, forgetting I had no shoes or gloves handy and on my person. We approached a cold, blue-grey door of iron in the bleak hallways and the kid lifted his hand to place a second device he had to the side, connecting it to a small, glowing panel beside the door to enter numbers. After a pause, a soft beep sounded out and the door silently slipped open, revealing nothing more than darkness.

"This is the storage bay where your shoes are being held. Follow me."

Soft, padded footsteps drummed on the metal floor and in the darkness there was a hallway with many identical doors, all of them tightly closed. With a brief rush forth to a second random door, Tails opened it and went into the now unlocked room before coming back out a moment later with the familiar items at hand. There my white and red shoes were, restored to perfect condition with no nicks or scratches or stains on them. The one difference of the gloves was the fact one ring, the golden ring on my right glove was absent, as if it was a mismatched pair of socks...

I dressed my feet and hands in the familiar hardware and looked myself over. "Now you look more like the Shadow I remember! Now we can get out of here more rapidly. Try to keep up!"

Tails can go faster? I was doing my best to keep up then. Simply keeping up with Tails was no easy task in my current condition, and thoughts were hard to collect in my blood-starved mind. God! Why the Hell did Tails decide to free me _now_? Escape will be all the more impossible since I'm so weak! With a turn of the feet, we rushed out of the place and continued on our way. Once we got up to speed, my shoes came to life and were hovering mere inches above the floor, enabling me to skate much faster, and far more effortlessly.

I glanced to the side to discover that the fox was right at my side, using his twin tails to propel him rapidly forward and glide just above the cold cement floor. I allowed a smirk to cover my face as I remarked. "I'm impressed, kid. Not only did you make such cool toys, you run a lot faster than I thought you could, and now you're gliding right along like it's easy."

Tails glanced back at me briefly and returned my comment with a pleased smile, his rich blue eyes lighting up with pride. I inwardly shrugged at his reaction and looked forward towards our destination, whatever it happened to be. I continued to contemplate on the actions of the others, for their reactions to my supposed death were the very opposite of what I had envisioned. Would they not observe my passing with just a simple thought and move on? Perhaps I had ignored considering it possible those around me would regret my departure. But how could they miss me? I only knew them vaguely, simply unable to remember names, just faces and nothing more! And furthermore, I was the enemy. Tails' explanation for my rescue echoed in my mind...

'_Shadow, that is a good question. I had no idea you would be alive; finding your signature was an accident. The truth is everyone missed you when we thought you died. We all have managed to move on with time, but Sonic, Amy, and I had the hardest time doing so. Especially Amy...'_

Especially Amy... The memory of my promise to her flashed through my mind. Why would she miss _me _of all people? I had wronged the world, tried to destroy it for crying out loud! I was an idiot blinded by rage and despair, caught in a crime of passion in the most obvious sense. I should be hated by these people! So why on earth did they wait to extend a hand towards me, instead of running away in fear or harshly spurning me in realistic rejection?

For the third time we stopped, this time to enter a small sector that at its end held a double door that was wider than the others, a door of metal with glass windows lit up like square panes of whitish blue light, distinguishing itself from the oppressive gloom of the seemingly endless hallway. I narrowed my eyes as they adjusted to the light, for it seemed much brighter than it should have been since I was in the darkness for such a long time. Once more, Tails used his sophisticated piece of electronics to coax the doors wide open, causing only more light to hit my eyes once they opened the gateway to our escape. Without hesitance, we both dashed onto the platform of the elevator and stood there as the doors closed.

"Egghead has 3 phases of levels, and each has a different elevator to use, but this is the master elevator and I took a long time finding it." With the punch of a button, we were sent climbing up. I glanced at the white buttons on the controls, wondering how many levels were in this secret base. 10... 20... There are 60 levels for this hole in the ground. That means this base goes about 200 meters below the surface. I imagined it would take an eternity to reach the surface, since I was so anxious to get out of the blasted place.

Up and up we went, and I counted floors we passed. 57...... 56...... 55....... 54...... 53...... This will take forever. And the bright light of the elevator doesn't help much, helping to plant a monster headache in my skull that hammered away at my brains. The fox glanced at me and his big ears perked up in alarm.

"Shadow, are you okay? I know you feel sick and all, but since a second ago you started looking worse..."

"Ugh. Tails, I am..." I decided there was no point hiding the fact from him. "I am starving, and parched. This elevator is taking forever. When will it end?"

"No surprise; I'd be _famished_ after losing so much blood! Once we get out of here you're getting a giant meal, first thing. Your body needs to rest now more than ever."

I massaged my temples and allowed a soft moan through my lips. 45...... 44...... 43...... 42...... 41......

* * * * *

The ride on the elevator was finally over, now we were closer than ever to getting out of here. Little did I know only half of the journey was done before we could safely get out of there. Once we ventured to the first level, my head felt light and sounds seemed to echo in my mind. It was as if I was having a migraine, even though I had never gotten one before. The irritating noises and lights, the headache, none of it was something anyone could enjoy.

For the first time in a good while, I felt content with having someone beside me, someone who had no ulterior motives and simply presenting benign kindness. I was tired, and famished, and suffered from a splitting headache since my body was stretched to its limits. Even then, my heart held a subtle spark of hope.

It seems the first level had its share of hangars used to launch aircraft or arrange armies, since we entered a large, gymnasium-sized room filled with aircraft and stockpiles of weaponry, like missiles, bullets, and grenade launchers. Robotnik always has his army well armed, and I can't help wondering at times how on earth he produces such a large army and can keep them equipped like he does, not to mention the extensive base in which they reside. He must have worked on some sort of high-capacity building machine to start the heart of the base –the control room- and some refinery mine of sorts to produce the steel he needed, and something to dig into the earth. Even with his genius knowhow, simply finding the raw materials needed to start would be a huge problem. I wonder if Sonic ever realized that. I doubt it, but I am sure Tails himself was impressed.

"Tails?" I started as an odd detail occurred in the back of my mind. The detail was rather obvious. Why hasn't Robotnik raised the alarm yet, sending out hordes of egg-bots and possibly some secret weapon to get us? In other words, it was too quiet...

"Yes?" Deep blue eyes focused on carmine ones as they almost seemed to probe through them in a sincere effort to discern some great mystery.

"Does it seem... too quiet to you?" The golden vulpine gawked as he considered my cause for alarm, as it was a disturbing detail indeed.

At that very moment, a crashing noise filled the hangar as a large metal door swung open and revealed the anticipated swarm of orange humanoid robots. There were several dozen of them; no more than a hundred. That would leave fifty each for us both to destroy. Apparently that mastermind believed we wouldn't be much threat, or that it would take much to contain me. He may have been right...

I sighed in exhaustion as Tails tried his best to give me an assuring look, his twin tails twitched in the air as his ears perked up and he offered me a brief shrug. Before I lost blood this would be easy, but now... not so much. But at least Tails was there to help me out. I was as prepared as I could be at that moment, and I had doubts. How far were we from the exit? Would this end badly, if it ends at all?

I charged forward as best I could and dashed into a row of bots, sending half a dozen of the iron clad machines into the air as the sound of metal crunching filled the hangar. That one attack left me winded, and I had to take a moment to catch my breath. My accomplice revealed the super-laser he used earlier and let loose with a barrage of red beams. His device hummed and a contented grin formed on his lips as the red glow of the weapon made his eyes seem to light up in flashes of violet. Two robots exploded in orange fire and blue sparks as a third burst into flame and collapsed as glowing orange consumed its circuitry, causing the fragile electronics to hiss and melt as the fire danced on its chest before growing and engulfing its head.

In that instant a robot only steps away launched for me and struck at my leg, slicing my fur with a clawed fist and causing valuable crimson liquid to spill forth, soaking my fur with a brownish color in the midst of the action. I cursed under my breath for letting my guard down. That wasn't good news. Remember I had already lost so much blood because of the rigorous tests.

I could feel what little strength and life I had leave me with each beat of my heart, and my mind began to cloud as I flickered out of consciousness. Sounds began to echo and merge with one another, and my sight blurred into darkness. The last thing I could remember seeing was a large explosion that probably claimed twenty robots in its wake and a young voice shouting my name in horror...


	5. Alive

**The Dark Knight  
**Chapter 5  
_Alive_

Often when circumstances had changed for the worse in the past, my mom always would provide me with a moment of condolence and a few words of wisdom, which was one phrase in particular. "Amy, remember that every time a door closes in your life a second door will open in its place..."

I initially didn't understand the truth behind her message, yet since recently I am feeling I might have some idea about it. Once I realized Sonic wasn't interested in me, the door to my old dreams and outrageous fantasies closed for good, but now that I think about it I discovered a detail I ignored before. In devoting my efforts to the True Blue, I had ultimately shut out any and all other possibilities, disallowing myself to look elsewhere and find something that could potentially suit me better.

In high school there are girls galore that obsess over some celebrity or some handsome jockey in the twelfth grade, inadvertently ignoring some potentially far better fellow in the mistake that will continue for a lifetime as some women chase after lady-killer bad-boys that will never change or know commitment. There also are guys who make the same mistake as they desperately chase after some man-eating witch who is very high-maintenance and expect the sucker to do everything her selfish and controlling heart desires. Both of these victims to their own ignorance will blame themselves for the other's bad treatment, and live an unhappy life. How many unhappy people have fallen into that trap, I wonder? Far too many, that's for sure.

But I'm getting off topic. Once I had closed the door to chasing Sonic over every single stretch of land on the planet, I was pleased beyond belief by a little surprise that I never saw coming...

Recently I had overheard something Tails had discovered in his laboratory. It happened to be a day I was bored with the end of summer, and that was the reason I found out in the first place. His lab was rather plain. A simple room of white walls, fluorescent lights, and bluish tiled floor surrounded him. That moment he had the lights off, save the lamp at his desk in the corner that outlined his shape with a pool of soft golden light.

Tails was sitting at his chair and testing some new contraption he had just made; I believe it was a newer version of the Chaos Crystal detector. Not only could it tell real Crystal from fake, but it also could even sense the aura of someone who was sensitive to Chaos energy. It was a great improvement over the older one, the size of a briefcase and unable to distinguish real from false or find a person who could use Chaos energy. He was observing the location of other people with the ability, and found one that caused him great interest.

He took a double take of the screen on his cell phone-sized device, with the green glow of the screen lighting up the blue of his eyes into a rich teal color before tapping a few buttons and shoving the device in his pocket. I was simply in the distance watching him silently, curious about his sudden activity, and followed him out past the room adjacent the lab, his reinforced testing room for new weapons, out to the hangar directly below his house where he and his parents lived.

Without a word or a look in my direction he climbed right into his blue Tornado biplane and buckled up. I decided either he was too focused to notice me or something, but that wasn't of importance as I climbed into the back seat of the plane and buckled up as well. The seat was modestly comfortable, not the most elaborate cushion, but it was more than adequate for the job.

From my seat, I could see a pair of golden ears flick to the sides as a click was heard and suddenly the plane came to life, causing its engine to fire up and the wings to suddenly flex their flaps several times, before he gave the plane more throttle a moment later and the plain pulled forward, towards a long, gently sloping ramp that ran up to the surface of the runway, and out into the vast, endless sky.

The wings extended to become wider and slope somewhat down for the takeoff, and the throttle was fully open, causing the plane to shake as it rocketed forward and pressed me firmly against my seat. The surroundings of metal and walls blurred into a surface of blue-grey, and eventually gave way to a much brighter clouded sky. The open air welcomed us with a blast of warm air and the glare of golden sunshine over a large field of green grass. I felt weightless while the plane rose heavenwards and the field we left shrank away and became lost in the distance. With a click of a switch, the wings shortened in width, the plane picked up speed, wind rustled my quills and I wondered where we were going in the back of my mind. We neared the clouds in the sky, and the once small puffs of downy feathers became gargantuan as we closed the distance to them, rising on the currents of air...

About half an hour passed. The plane started to slowly descend towards the ground, details of light and dark green separated into forest and fields, and one giant area of rich woods stretched into the distance before us. The center of that forest was our destination. A few moments later we bumped across the surface of a field, the once tiny trees were again rising above us at the edge of the clearing, and the engine of the blue aircraft shut down, welcoming my ears with relative quiet.

Without a second thought, the fox leapt out of the plane after snatching something up, a brown backpack, and hurried off into the cover of branches and leaves of the forest. As I watched him leave, I decided it was best to stay there and wait. Had I tried to follow him, I may have gotten lost since direction and navigating have never been my forte. From that point on, nothing much happened for about an hour.

The sun continued to shine with golden warmth as it always had, and a breeze picked up, lazily carrying the damp scent of earth and gently sweet wild clover through the air and across the clearing. Honeybees hummed away as they zipped from one small white clover blossom to another, gathering nectar a bloom at a time to produce sweet honey. The sight was serene, peaceful and relaxing. Yet all the while I wondered what in the world had come across the fox's mind to fly out in the middle of nowhere and dash into the woods like he just had. He's hard to figure out at times, but the guy never did anything without a good reason for it. The only way I would find out would be to wait until he returned. And that was the big surprise.

The distant sound of an explosion thundered in the distance, breaking me from my peaceful state, and I glanced in anxiety towards where the sound had been made. The sight caused me to gasp in shock. I saw a familiar fox run my way in a hurry, and that wasn't the only other detail that upset me. His golden fur was smeared with soot, or smoke, or something, and he was filthy after whatever it was he had done. His blue eyes were full of urgency, on the brink of panic. But most of all, the ebony shape of a person on his back stood out above all else. The person was limp to the utmost, not twitching or moving in the slightest, with eyes closed.

I saw a glint of red on the body, and in utmost surprise leapt out of my seat and towards the fox, thoughts racing through my mind with blistering speed. The fox was equally stunned by finding out I had hitched a ride, azure eyes widened in shock, but he brushed the detail aside as he suddenly asked me something. I couldn't care less about his comment, for my emerald green eyes were riveted to the one he was carrying. Was that... Shadow? It can't be...

"AMY!" I jumped a foot from the violence of Tails' voice, and glanced back at him in shock. "Please help! I found Shadow. But that isn't the point. Amy, keep an eye on him for a second."

The kitsune placed the black hedgehog gently on the grass and dashed to the plane to fumble for something. "Shadow's in trouble. He is out cold because of hypovolemic shock." Hypovolemic what? "We need to get him home ASAP or he'll exhanguinate!" I arched a pink eyebrow in surprise at his urgency before I took a good look at the black hedgehog at my side.

"Tails, this can't possibly be Shadow. Shadow died." I studied the breathing of the furry mammal, noticing that his chest was rising and falling at a rate far too fast for him to be resting. That was when I noticed his face. His muzzle was pallid, bluish grey in color, which caused anxiety to fill my heart like never before. I silently placed my hand to his face to feel it. His cheek was surprisingly cool, reminding me of a damp rock that could have been from a nearby stream. Cool and damp, clammy. The new arrival was breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Amy, listen. I was surprised as well, but he definitely is the real Shadow. He recognized me, and he remembered everything. You can even look at his shoes and gloves if you doubt me." The kitsune frantically dashed back to his side and brandished a large bottle of water, tilting the hedgehog's head back and opening his mouth to place the end of the bottle to his lips. "Shadow, please drink this," the fox softly coaxed the hedgehog to oblige, and "Shadow" downed the entire bottle before taking a large gasp for air, straining his neck to inhale what air he could, his mouth gaping open. It was then that I saw the gums inside of his mouth and his tongue were both blue-violet.

"Tails, what's wrong with him? I don't know all of your medical terms," I brushed a pink bang of quills from my eyes as the fox opened a first aid kit and fervently dripped alcohol on his patient's leg. The spot he was attending had a break in the skin where red liquid flowed from a slash, contrasting against the pale skin before wiping it with cloth and then wrapping it in gauze.

"Amy, he's bleeding. To death." Emphasis filled the last three words from the vulpine's mouth. The fox's blue eyes solemnly bore into mine, causing chills to fill me and goose bumps to stand my fur on end. Stuffing the kit and bottle into his backpack, the fox then gingerly lifted the hedgehog and glanced at me. "We're leaving. Now. Climb in..."

With the three of us buckled in, or more accurately, Tails buckled in and the moribund hedgehog sharing my seat, we took off without delay. Once we got to a certain height from the ground, the upper wing of the plane separated in two and lowered onto the lower wings. At the same time, a framework of metal rose from the fuselage and surrounded us, finally to be lined with glass windows.

"What's going on?" I wondered aloud.

"Amy, the Tornado transformed into a monoplane and has encased us to reduce drag, now we may go faster. Remember Shadow could die from blood loss." The engine fired up to full blast and the acceleration pressed Shadow and I against our seat. I felt awkward with the stranger practically leaning against me, and witnessing his condition up close only caused me to grow anxious. Shadow was but a hair short from panting; he was cold and sweating profusely and started to shiver violently.

"Shhhh. Shadow, we're here. You are alright." I glanced around the seat for a pillow, or a blanket, something to comfort the ebony hero with, and my searching was rewarded with a flannel blanket, very soft and warm for the poor guy. I lifted the blanket and wrapped it around Shadow's legs and waist, before tucking it behind his back and giving him a gentle hug. I decided to hold him there for the entire trip home. Only a few more minutes passed as the black furry fell asleep. Even as pale as he was, now that he was warmer his face held a most tranquil expression, easing my worry greatly.

I still couldn't wrap my mind around the fact Shadow, the very person who had haunted my dreams, was right there beside me, in my arms for the first time since we had met over two years ago. I couldn't help smiling to myself...


End file.
